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80 Years of Modern Agriculture

What is Modern Agriculture?

Modern agriculture techniques and tools rely on the most innovative science to maintain a careful balance of farm inputs that optimize crop production while lessening potential impacts on the environment. Techniques such as conservation tillage, integrated pest management and crop rotation focus on precision and sustainability without sacrificing crop yields. More than 90 percent of farmers today regularly use these practices to protect human, animal and environmental health. The term “modern agriculture” depicts their commitment to innovation, stewardship and meeting the global food challenge all at once – there is nothing conventional about that.

Why is Modern Agriculture Important?

By 2050, the world’s population is expected to grow to nearly nine billion – the equivalent of two more Chinas – while the ratio of arable land to population continues to decrease. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that global food production must double by 2050, and 70 percent of the world’s additional food needs can be produced only with new and adapting agricultural technologies. Modern agriculture is the most promising answer to the question of how to sustainably feed a growing world.

Intensive scientific research and robust investment in modern agriculture during the past 50 years has helped farmers double food production while essentially freezing the footprint of total cultivated farmland. This allows for responsible food production: new technologies help farmers use precise applications and fewer inputs, leading to increased productivity and higher yields, and creates an affordable supply of nutritious food and produce for communities throughout the world.